Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
NHL play on Thursday features the Tampa Bay Lightning (2-1) hosting the Minnesota Wild (2-0-1) at Benchmark International Arena, starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
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Wild vs. Lightning: Oct. 8 Viewing Options
- Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- How to watch on TV: ESPN+
- Location: Tampa, Florida
- Venue: Benchmark International Arena
- Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
Lightning's 2025-26 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 3.49 | 4th |
| Goals Allowed | 2.79 | 3rd |
| Shots | 28 | 14th |
| Shots Allowed | 26.6 | 9th |
| Power Play % | 20.33% | 17th |
| Penalty Kill % | 82.56% | 3rd |
Wild's 2025-26 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 3.27 | 10th |
| Goals Allowed | 2.87 | 4th |
| Shots | 29.1 | 7th |
| Shots Allowed | 29.3 | 24th |
| Power Play % | 25.19% | 3rd |
| Penalty Kill % | 79.81% | 16th |
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Wild vs. Lightning Top Players
Lightning
- Nikita Kucherov, a leading offensive player last season for Tampa Bay, registered 130 points on the season.
- Jake Guentzel tallied 88 points (38 goals, 50 assists), adding significantly to the team's scoring efforts last season.
- In 71 games a season ago, Brandon Hagel proved to be a contributor for Tampa Bay. He posted 74 points on the year (36 goals and 38 assists).
- Across 58 games played, Andrei Vasilevskiy had a goaltending record of 39-15-4 last season. During those games, he allowed 132 goals while recording 1,343 saves.
Wild
- Kirill Kaprizov totaled 45 goals and 44 assists in 78 games for Minnesota last season, resulting in 89 points.
- Matthew Boldy helped lead the attack for Minnesota last season with 42 goals and 43 assists.
- Quinn Hughes' seven goals and 69 assists added up to 76 points.
- Filip Gustavsson was 28-15-6 in 50 games last season, conceding 133 goals (2.7 goals against average) with a .904 save percentage (20th in the league).
Wild vs. Lightning Injury Report
Lightning
Emil Martinsen Lilleberg: Out (Undisclosed),
Dominic James: Out (Hand),
Yanni Gourde: Out (Hip)
Wild
Filip Gustavsson: Out (Hip),
Brock Faber: Out (Skull),
Nick Foligno: Day-To-Day (Upper Body)
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Lightning's Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/1/2026 | Rangers | L 5-1 | Away |
| 10/3/2026 | Capitals | W 3-1 | Home |
| 10/5/2026 | Flyers | W 4-1 | Home |
| 10/8/2026 | Wild | - | Home |
| 10/10/2026 | Islanders | - | Away |
| 10/13/2026 | Rangers | - | Away |
| 10/15/2026 | Kraken | - | Home |
Wild's Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/1/2026 | Predators | W 3-1 | Away |
| 10/3/2026 | Bruins | W 4-1 | Home |
| 10/6/2026 | Sabres | L 3-2 | Away |
| 10/8/2026 | Lightning | - | Away |
| 10/10/2026 | Panthers | - | Away |
| 10/12/2026 | Golden Knights | - | Home |
| 10/13/2026 | Jets | - | Away |